Trophies |
During the 1983 Port Huron to Mackinac Singlehanded Challenge Peter Fisher died of a heart attack. The Fisher family in his memory commissioned an artist to design and cast a likeness of his boat Pelican, and created this award. First awarded in 1984 it has come to represent the pinnacle of achievement for Great Lakes singlehanded sailors. The GLSS Board of Directors follow pre-determined selection criteria, which is based on years of participation as well as competitive standing. These two elements account for the basis, continuation and spirit of this Great Lakes challenge. Recipients and Trophy Details History Eligibility The Trophies Governing body
Mike Silverthorne Memorial Trophy Lake Michigan solo sailors are fond of saying that "It takes a pair to do it alone." More often than not, Mike, known to his close friends as "Laughing Gull" found himself half of the pair; he was constantly assisting his fellow singlehanders whenever and wherever it was needed. In 2002, our good friend and veteran singlehander died while competing in the Lake Michigan Solo Scramble. The following year, the Mike Silverthorne Memorial Trophy was created to honor Mike's memory. It is awarded to the skipper who best embodies the exemplary spirit of Mike Silverthorne and Solo Sailing. As such, it is only presented upon committee recommendation after consideration of their significant contribution and merits. Trophy Details and the Recipients of the Mike Silverthorne Memorial Trophy
Ralph Eilberg Award for Outstanding Seamanship Ralph Eilberg was one of the Founding Fathers, Charter Member, and past President of the GLSS. Ralph attended Penn State University, and completed his Ph.D. studies there. While at Penn State, Ralph was ranked as one of the top ten U.S. collegiate marathon runners. After college, Ralph continued to run - on his 50th birthday, he became an ultra marathon runner by virtue of completing an 80 mile run! Ralph was a professor of BioChemistry at the University of Detroit Dental School, and in addition to being a valued member of the staff, held various patents on biochemical items related to dentistry. Sailing was one of Ralph's greatest loves, and he sailed extensively including a Bermuda roundtrip prior to moving to Michigan. After bringing his boat through the Erie Canal into the Great Lakes, Ralph could be found cruising the lakes every summer, and was a full time liveaboard on his boat in Gibralter, Michigan. In addition to being one of the Founding Fathers of the Society, Ralph established the Port Huron to Chicago Solo Challenge in 1981. Ralph completed the inaugural Challenge that year, and to this date, it is the second longest freshwater solo sailing venue in the world (only the Super Mac and Back is longer). Tragically, Ralph was involved in an automobile accident in 1984 and was nearly killed. He was left incapacitated as a result of the accident and was unable to sail thereafter. In 1985, the Ralph Eilberg Award was established, largely through the efforts of GLSS member Phil LePage. One of Ralph's friends, Ralph Ridge, funded the construction of the trophy, and it was hand-built by Phil. The trophy is awarded only to those skippers who have demonstrated remarkable feats of seamanship upon the high seas world wide. Trophy Details and Recipients of the Ralph Eilberg Award
DEED OF GIFT The Commodore Perry Award is awarded to an individual(s), a group, an organization, etc. who has made a substantial contribution to the Lake Erie Solo Challenge (LESC). The following guidelines should guide the LESC Race Committee in determining who, if anyone, will receive the award in any given year: Trophy Details and Recipients of the Commodore Perry Award Mac Challenge Chairman's Award The Mac Challenge Chairman's Award was created to recognize those skippers who have completed either 15 or 25 Solo Mac Challenges. As the Society has grown, skippers now have the opportunity to compete in multiple events each year - this award reflects the commitment shown to participate in the Macs over a significant period of time. This award was established in 2006. Trophy Details and Recipients of the Mac Challenge Chairman's Award |